


Cira

by Fantasticbeastsfanaticlove



Category: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (Movies)
Genre: All The Ships, Alternate Universe, F/M, First Kiss, Fluff, Horses
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-17
Updated: 2019-02-19
Packaged: 2019-09-21 10:50:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 7,962
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17042333
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fantasticbeastsfanaticlove/pseuds/Fantasticbeastsfanaticlove
Summary: Tina Goldstein and her sister move to a new barn to board their horses. She meets Newt Scamander, and the two start to bond over a mutual love of horses. Meanwhile, Tina helps Leta get over her greatest fear and learns valuable lessons about her life and the lives of those around her.(AU fic.)





	1. Arriving At The Stables

“Teenie, look! Oh, it’s all so pretty!”

Tina placed her book down on the leather seat and looked out the truck window. After four hours of traveling, they had finally reached the new stables. It was beautiful, she had to admit. Sprawling green grass, sleek horses and ponies grazing in pastures, some of them with their ears perked as the new trailer drove down the driveway. The stables themselves were large, with red roofs and white walls, and girls with their ponies hitched outside, grooming ponies and tacking up.

“It is very nice here. I could get used to this,” Jacob said, slinging an arm around Queenie affectionately. Queenie giggled, kissing him on the cheek, and Tina had to look away. She hated being the third wheel like this. Yes, she was happy for her sister’s recent marriage, but it didn’t make sitting through the couple’s sappiness any easier.

Jacob took his arm off of Queenie and gripped the wheel. He carefully parked the trailer in the parking lot, glancing behind him to make sure the trailer was doing okay, before finally turning off the truck and unlocking the doors.

Tina was quick to get out of the truck. She took the opportunity to stretch her legs and arms. The air was filled with a familiar horse-y smell that she had grown to love, and the sun shone warm and bright. The girls all squealed when they saw the new arrival, jogging over to the trailer, eager to see the new horses.

“It’s cramped in that truck,” Tina complained. Queenie raised her eyebrows as she got out. 

“Teenie, you had more room than Jacob and I combined. You had the entire back seat.”

Tina grinned, and was about to retort when she was interrupted by a couple walking towards them. The man was tall with dark hair, bright blue eyes and a sharp jawline. The woman was much smaller and more petite, with almond-color skin, dark brown curls and dark brown eyes. Both were smiling warmly.

“Welcome to Southern Orchard Riding Academy! You must be our new riding instructor, Miss Tina Goldstein,” said the man, holding out his hand for Tina to shake. He shook her hand, then Jacob’s, then Queenie’s.

“Oh, you must be Theseus! Theseus Scamander?” Queenie said cheerfully. The man smiled again, and it was then Tina noticed the small amount of freckles sprinkled across his cheeks.

“Indeed, I am. And this-“ He gestured to the woman “is Leta, my wife.” Leta smiled, bowing her head a little in greeting.

“And I assume you must be Queenie Kowalski?” Theseus asked a beaming Queenie. She nodded, then gestured to Jacob. “And this is my husband, Jacob.” 

Tina glanced around nervously. A small crowd of young girls was beginning to gather around them, all of them looking eagerly at the trailer and whispering to each other. Leta reached out, touching Theseus’s arm. 

“We might want to get the poor horses out, darling. They’ll be restless and in need of stretching their legs,” Leta said softly. She looked nervous suggesting it though, judging by the way her hands started to quiver. Theseus nodded, chuckling to himself.

“My apologies, ladies. I’ll allow you to get your horses out.”

The girls stopped whispering, eyes trained eagerly on the trailer to see the new horses.

Tina swallowed nervously, but walked to the back of the trailer, pulled the ramp down and the bar on Queenie’s horse. Queenie stepped inside the trailer, grabbed hold of her horse, and backed her out.

Dixie backed out quickly, eager to get out of the trailer. She froze as soon as she was out though, ears perked nervously, nostrils flared to take in the new scents.

“Oh, she’s so pretty!” someone whispered. Dixie snorted, alarmed, and began to prance nervously in place. Queenie began to stroke her arched neck, murmuring words of comfort.

Dixie was a red roan thoroughbred, with four long legs that looked like they had been dipped in white paint and a star on her forehead. She shied when a leaf skittered by, trying to get as close to Queenie as possible.

Tina glanced over to Theseus and Leta, and she noticed that Leta looked exceedingly pale, clutching to Theseus’s arm, her legs shaking ever so slightly.

Tina slowly lowered the bar on her horse’s side before walking into the trailer and backing her out.

Cira was much shorter than Dixie. She was a dappled dun mare, with a round belly and muscular legs.

Cira sniffed the air curiously, black-tipped ears swiveling, but she remained much calmer than Dixie. She lifted her head to snuff Tina’s hair affectionately. Tina rubbed Cira’s velvety nose.

“Is this the new schooling horse?” Theseus asked cheerfully, strolling up and holding his hand out for Cira to smell. Cira gave his hand a curious sniff, then stuck her head out and wiggled her lip, seeking affection. Theseus chuckled, rubbing her forehead.

“Yes. She’s pretty good with little kids,” Tina said, smiling ever so slightly at Cira’s behavior.

“Perfect! If you don’t mind, my brother will give her a test ride tomorrow to see how she is.” Tina nodded. 

Suddenly, a large, bay horse galloped past, reins and stirrups flying. Dixie spooked, jumping straight into the air and almost yanking the lead rope out of Queenie’s hands.

“LOOSE HORSE!” Theseus yelled, running after the giant bay. Tina quickly thrust her lead rope at Jacob, yelling, “Hold her! Be right back!”

 

Jacob caught the lead rope, but looked at Cira nervously, as if expecting her to run off too. But Cira simply looked at him with her big brown eyes, and snorted.

Theseus and Tina ran desperately after the bay, but he seemed to have no intention of slowing down any time soon. Theseus yelled at the girls to open the gate to the breaking pen so that he and Tina could herd the giant horse inside, and the girls scattered, running towards the breaking pen and flinging open the gate. The horse charged inside, and the girls slammed the gate shut. Tina and Theseus climbed over the gate and tried to calm him down. He bolted around the breaking pen, trying to find a way out, bucking and whinnying loudly. 

He finally began to slow down after several minutes of this, until he stopped and hung his head. He was caked with sweat and foam and panting heavily. Tina walked up slowly, careful not to spook him. He made no move, so she carefully picked up his reins.

“You okay, buddy?” She asked softly, stroking his nose. He tried to lean on her out of exhaustion, but she pushed him back up.

“Bucky!”

Tina turned her head to see a young man jogging up to the breaking pen. He climbed over the gate, gently taking the reins from Tina. Bucky nuzzled him and the man rubbed Bucky’s forehead.

Tina took a close look at him. He had tousled hair that seemed to be a sort of reddish-brown, with hazel eyes, and more freckles than she had ever seen on a man.   
He was also panting, as if he had been running for a long time.

“Newt! Are you okay?” Theseus asked, jogging up to him. The man, Newt, she guessed, nodded.

“I might have a few bruises, but nothing too serious. I’ll be fine enough by tomorrow to test ride that new horse.”

Theseus shook his head in disbelief. “What happened out there? I thought you were doing pretty well with Bucky.”

“Oh, I am! He’s been so good the past week. He cantered a whole jump course nice and quiet, and he’s much better about carrying himself at the trot. I figured I could take him out on a trail today. He was doing really well until he saw a snake, and he bolted. I stayed on for a good long while, but he finally dumped me.”

Newt seemed to find the whole ordeal hilarious, because he was smiling from ear to ear. Bucky nudged Newt again, a guilty expression on his face. He chuckled, wrapping his arms around Bucky’s massive head and kissing his forehead.  
Theseus cleared his throat, and gestured to Tina.

“Miss Goldstein, this is my brother, Newt.” Newt turned to Tina, and his freckled cheeks turned red. He held out his hand to shake, all the while never looking her in the eye.

 

“It’s lovely to meet you, Miss Goldstein. Now if you’ll excuse me, Bucky needs a bath and a chance to cool off properly.”

Newt tugged on the reins gently, and Bucky plodded along behind him, still panting. Theseus shook his head again.

“You’ll have to excuse him, Miss Goldstein. He’s a good man, he’s just not always sure how to express himself.”

Tina looked at Newt. He was carefully avoiding the judgmental looks those around him were sending his way. Bucky seemed to notice Newt’s sudden shift in mood, because he gave Newt’s cheek a big wet lick. Newt pushed his big head away with a grin, but Bucky simply settled for nibbling at his pockets for treats.

“No harm done,” Tina said softly.


	2. Finishing Up For The Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We learn how Tina got Cira and just what the farm truly thinks about Newt.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is meant to be give backstory to Tina and Cira. I promise next chapter will delve a lot more into pushing the story forwards.
> 
> There will be a glossary at the end to explain some horse terms in this chapter. 
> 
> Enjoy!

Tina had always wanted a horse of her own. It was something she had dreamed about since she was a child. Her parents, of course, although they supported her dreams, felt that she wasn’t quite ready for a pony yet. So they signed her and Queenie up for horse riding lessons, deciding that it would be the best way to allow them to bond and to show Tina how much responsibility a horse was.

Both Tina and Queenie’s parents had died when Tina was only five years old. She and Queenie moved in with their aunt, who agreed to continue the girls’ riding lessons using the money their parents left behind. 

Tina was fifteen years old when she taught her first horse lesson to a toddler on a tiny Shetland pony. It didn’t pay much, but it was money in her pocket. She mostly used the money to buy riding gear, since she felt bad that her aunt had to pay for her lessons. As she got older, she took on more and more lessons, and began to earn more and more for her efforts.

Tina was seventeen when she rode Dixie. Dixie was for sale at the time, and Tina was riding her at the barn she worked at. Her aunt happened to be watching, and declared that she and Dixie seemed to be getting along so well that she would buy Dixie for her and Queenie, and they could share. For a brief moment, Tina thought her dream had come true.

But it was made apparent very quickly that Queenie and Dixie were a team, leaving Tina on the sidelines.

A year after they had purchased Dixie, her aunt approached her. She apologized about Dixie and Queenie, to which Tina gave a mere shrug. (She honestly didn’t mind that much. Dixie wasn’t really her type.)

“I have five thousand dollars that I can afford to spend on a horse. If you’d like, you can purchase a horse of your own, Tina. But no more than five thousand dollars.”

Tina had almost leapt for joy, but chose instead to give her aunt a great big hug and thank her profusely.

She set out the next day to a stables she saw in a newspaper clipping where they sold horses. The man greeted her, and asked what she wanted in a horse. She replied that she just wanted a horse that was good with children, since she would probably use her horse in some of her lessons, and a horse who would be willing to try new things.

The man smiled, and told her that he had a horse that he thought would be a perfect fit for her.

That was when she first met Cira.

Cira was in her stall, back turned. The moment she heard Tina behind her, she perked up, sticking her head out of the stall and sniffing curiously at her. The man explained that she had originally lived on a farm, and worked as a trail horse for the owner’s children. They sold her because they wanted a horse that would be better for competitions.

The man let her have a trial ride on Cira, and Cira went beautifully, obeying every cue. She was calm and resourceful. After the ride, Tina performed a test to see if she really was child-friendly. The little horse let her rub her arm over, stand directly behind her, and even crawl under her belly, although her bright eyes were following Tina curiously.

It all seemed too perfect. 

Until the man told her that she was seven thousand dollars.

Her heart sank. She wanted Cira more than she had wanted anything in her life. But of course she was too expensive.Why didn’t she mention she only had five thousand dollars? Why did she wait?

She came home, heart heavy in her chest. Her aunt asked her how her day went, and Tina told her about Cira, and how desperately she wanted her. Her aunt frowned for a moment, before saying that she would like to meet Cira herself.

The next day, Queenie and her aunt went with her to go see Cira. The moment Queenie laid eyes on her, she giggled.

“Oh, Teenie, she’s a pretty little thing! Look at those sweet eyes!”

Her aunt studied Cira carefully. Tina felt a little bit embarrassed. Cira was nowhere near as tall or elegantly-built as Dixie was. Cira kept trying to nibble at Tina’s hands, nickering softly.

Finally, her aunt spoke.

“If you really love this horse, and believe this horse is the one for you, I’ll let you work off the rest of the debt. Do we have a deal?”

Tina laughed out loud, hugging her aunt and kissing Cira on the nose.

From that moment forward, Cira became Tina’s horse.

 

Theseus finished showing Tina around. He showed her the lounge where all the riding instructors ate lunch, several rings for riding, and trails for trail riding.

Cira and Dixie enjoyed their evening rolling and grazing inside a pasture. Tina, Queenie, and Jacob were going to leave soon, so Tina left to go check up on Cira and Dixie to make sure they were adjusting okay.

She jogged up to the pasture and Cira nickered, trotting up to her and sticking her head above the fence, wiggling her lip. Tina chucked and scratched the spot behind her ears affectionately. Dixie started to trot up, but stopped, her ears swiveling, listening for something.

“Can you believe him?! He couldn’t get that horse under control, and he spooked one of the new horses! Right when we needed to make a good impression! I don’t know why he wasn’t punished more by Theseus.”

Tina looked over her shoulder. Two teenage girls were leaving the stables, one of them with dark skin and the other with frizzy red curls. The dark-skinned girl was scowling.

“Come on, Mary!” The red-haired girl said. “Newt’s a good person, he didn’t mean to spook the new horse. And you know how Bucky is. Bucky’s had a rough past. He’s terrified of almost everything. We can’t blame him for bolting at the sight off a snake.”

“It’s Newt’s job to stop that from happening, Bunty! He should have stopped Bucky before-“

“Bucky’s gotten much better ever since Newt started working with him. These kinds of things take time. And Newt didn’t know there was a snake on the trail. None of this is his fault-“

“Someone could have gotten hurt, Bunty! Wake up!”

Bunty bowed her head timidly. The dark-skinned girl, Mary, kept talking.

“I know he’s doing all this for a good cause. I’m just trying to say Theseus should limit him a bit, you know? Maybe instead of taking on two horses at a time, he takes on one only? That way we wouldn’t have to deal with Fantasy on top of Bucky.”

“I like Fantasy.”

“Well, she’s always trying to bite other ponies whenever they get near her. It’s a pain to walk past her stall with a horse in tow…”

The two girls climbed into a car and drove off. Cira grabbed a lock of hair between her lips and pulled gently to get Tina’s attention. 

“Cira! Don’t do that!” Tina scolded playfully. But Cira paid no attention, and stuck her head forward again.

“I have to go, girl. But I’ll see you tomorrow, okay?” Tina gave her one last scratch before turning, heading to go find Queenie and Jacob.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Glossary:
> 
> Shetland pony: A breed of pony. It originated in Scotland, ranging from heights of 28 inches to 42 inches. They can be used for riding, but they are also used in driving classes to pull little carriages and in England, a special race known as the Shetland Pony Grand National, where young riders known as jockeys gallop them around a ring and over obstacles in a race against other Shetland ponies. Some even serve a similar purpose to guide dogs. They come in almost any color, and are known to be gentle, good-tempered, and intelligent. However, despite their size, they are known as the strongest breed of horse, being able to carry twice their weight.
> 
> Nicker: A friendly greeting given by a horse. It sounds like a breathy, soft, low whinny.


	3. Trial Ride

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Newt gives Cira a trial ride.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had massive writer’s block while writing this. Hopefully, it doesn’t show!
> 
> Thank you to all those who edited this! I love their feedback and help, so thanks to everyone who did!
> 
> Enjoy!

Tina watched as Newt places the saddle on Cira, smoothing the saddle blanket underneath to ensure that nothing would pinch while he was riding her. Cira kept sniffing him curiously, head craned to watch him work. She was rewarded by a rub on the forehead from Newt.

“Is there anything I need to look out for?”

That startled Tina a little. Newt had remained completely silent the entire time he had groomed Cira. She cleared her throat.

“She’s a little weak in her left lead.”

“Anything else?”

“No, that’s about it.”

Newt cinched the girth, and Cira nudged his hip, trying to get another rub.

“How long have you had her?”

Tina had to think for a moment.

“About three or four years,” she replied. Newt smiled a little at Cira when she sniffed him again, giving her a playful poke on the nose. Cira snorted, turning back to Tina and sticking her head out expectantly.

“She’s very social, it seems.” There was a hint of humor in his voice, so she allowed herself a small smile.

“She likes attention. She’ll wiggle her nose when she wants cuddles.”

He chuckles a little, adjusting the stirrups to his length. He then grabbed the bridle, throwing the reins over her head and buckling the halter around her neck. Cira opened her mouth willingly to accept the bit, and Newt gently pulled the bridle over her ears, fastening the noseband and cheek strap before unbuckling the halter and letting it fall to the ground.

 

Newt is a skilled rider. His hands are soft and quiet, and his legs are steady as he works with Cira. He praises her with everything she does right.

“How high has Cira jumped?” Theseus asked, watching Newt carefully as he cantered Cira in a circle. Cira had been behaving beautifully so far, listening to every cue Newt gave her. 

“The highest I have ever jumped her is three-foot-three,” Tina replied. Theseus looked over again as Newt slowed Cira down to a walk, rubbing her neck and praising her enthusiastically.

“Do you mind if we see how high Cira can jump? We’ll build up, and we’ll stop if it gets too high for her.”

Tina thought for a moment. Newt seemed to be a pretty skilled rider, and Theseus clearly knew what he was doing. Besides, Cira was behaving very well and seemed to be a little antsy, eager to do more.

“Go for it.”

Theseus grinned at her before yelling, “Newt! How do you feel about jumping her?!”

Newt pretended to ponder this, loosening the reins to allow Cira to catch her breath. “I’m up for it,” he said after a brief moment, grinning. “But it can’t last forever. I need to work with Bucky and Fantasy for a good hour or so today. And maybe have some fun with Duke.”

Theseus grinned, setting up a pair of jump standards in the middle of the ring. He set the jump cups to the lowest hole and placed a pole across before giving Newt a thumb up to give it a shot.

Newt rubbed Cira’s neck and picked the reins back up, urging her into a smooth canter. Her ears perked when he turned her toward the jump. It was small, but she jumped over it smoothly.

Every time Newt jumped it, Theseus would raise it a hole higher. Newt had to take a break to let Cira catch her breath after a bit, but once she was ready, he picked the canter back up.

The jump got higher and higher, but Cira sailed over it smoothly every time. By the time they were done, the jump was three-foot-six.

“That’s enough for the poor girl today,” Newt laughed. “She was really good. A little weak in her left lead, as Miss Goldstein said, but really good. I’d say she’d do just fine with the little kids.”

Theseus laughed. “Sounds perfect! We’ll have to arrange lessons for her right away…”

Tina saw someone on the other side of the ring. At closer inspection, she noticed it was Leta. Her arms were wrapped around herself feebly, looking at Theseus and Newt laughing almost longingly. She caught Tina’s eye and quickly turned and walked off. Newt and Theseus didn’t notice.

“Miss Goldstein?”

Tina snapped back quickly. Theseus grinned. 

“How many lessons would you be willing to take on per day? At most?”

“Four lessons. Three on weekends.”

“Perfect! I’ll arrange those for you and hopefully you would have your schedule emailed to you by tonight. I’ll make sure to get your approval before I make the schedule official.” Tina shook Theseus’s hand one last time before he walked off, heading in the direction of the house.

Newt dismounted, loosening the girth and rolling up his stirrups. Cira nickered as Tina got closer, and Tina rubbed her forehead. 

“I’ll give her a bath,” Newt said softly, gently leading Cira away.

But Tina followed, rubbing Cira’s sweaty neck.

“You work with a lot of horses, huh?” Tina asked softly. Newt thought for a moment but shrugged. 

“Not really. I work with two horses at a time.”

He led Cira into the barn and untacked her, hanging up the bridle and saddle on her stall and slipping her halter over her head. Tina spoke again.

“You’re working with Bucky and Fantasy, right?”

“Right.”

“What about the other horse you mentioned?”

“Duke? He’s not in training. He’s just mine.”

He had lead Cira out to the hose as they talked. He pulled out the hose, turned the water on, and began to run the hose over her legs, allowing her to get used to the temperature. Cira didn’t react, so he continued over her shoulders and up her neck.

“I can hold her if that makes it easier,” Tina said, trying to think of what to say. Newt smiled, handing her the lead rope and continuing until she was soaked. He turned to get the sweat scraper, but Cira shook, spraying water over both Tina and Newt. They laughed, and Cira stuck her nose forward, wiggling her lip as if nothing had happened. Newt planted a kiss on her nose, grinning, not even embarrassed about the fact that Tina was standing right there. 

 

“Queenie, you have nothing to worry about! You and Dixie are doing great!”

Queenie slowed Dixie back down to a walk, rubbing her neck.

“I know, Teenie. I just haven’t jumped her for three days.”

Tina smiled at her sister. Queenie liked to do jumping exercises at least once each day, and today, it was shortening and lengthening strides. She always wanted Tina around to give her advice and help her adjust the jumps.

Two small jumps were set up in the middle of the ring, five strides apart. Tina raised them a bit before saying, “Can you do this line in four strides?”

Queenie picked the canter back up, face scrunched in concentration. She urged Dixie to lengthen her stride a few strides before the first jump. Dixie left too far away for the first jump, galloped forwards, and almost hit the second jump. Queenie had to circle her several times to calm down.

“The goal is to lengthen her stride, not to have her gallop away. Practice lengthening her stride on the rail and then try again,” Tina said calmly. Queenie nodded, heading back out on the rail.

“Miss Goldstein!”

Tina turned to see Leta jogging up to the fence.

“Keep going, Queenie. Just give me a sec,” Tina yelled. Queenie gave her a thumbs up and kept going.

She jogged up to Leta. Leta had a clipboard and pen in her hand.

“Hello, Miss Goldstein. I just wanted to discuss finances with you. Theseus and I agreed on a schedule for your lessons. On weekdays, you’ll have two in the morning, each an hour long. The first lesson starts at 8:30 am and ends at 9:30, and the second lesson starts at 10 am and ends at 11. You’ll have the afternoon free, and then two lessons in the evening, one starting at 5:30 and one starting at 6:30, which consist of much more advanced riders. On weekends, there’s no morning lessons, only evening lessons-“

Dixie bucked, taking off into a gallop. Queenie had to circle her again. Leta had gone pale, stepping back from the fence. Tina frowned.

“You okay?”

She nodded stiffly, turning back to Tina and trying to continue.

“It’s, um, twelve dollars for every lesson you do, and if you choose to help on competition days, which happen about once a month, it’s five dollars an hour. If you agree to these terms, just sign on the dotted line.”

Leta held out the pen and clipboard. Tina took it, and asked, “Are there any more opportunities for me to earn money? I’d be happy to help out at the barn between lessons.”

Leta thought for a moment as Tina signed the paper.

“We have a small shop where we sell horse gear. We could really use another cashier. And you could help with summer camps during the summer. Theseus knows the jobs better than I do.. But he’ll be happy to talk with you about doing more work here.”

Tina handed Leta the clipboard, and Leta smiled warmly at her.

“Thank you, Miss Goldstein. Lessons start next week for you.”

She rushed off, seeming almost eager to get away from the ring with Dixie.


	4. A Trail Ride and Tina’s First Lesson

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tina meets Newt on a trail ride and gives her first two lessons.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this took so long! I hope you enjoy it, and if you have any requests for any FB pairings (and I mean any) please let me know, and I’ll write it for you. (not on here, obviously) I’m in a huge writing mood, so feel free to do so!

beautiful day, and Tina had wanted to try out the trails. So she tacked Cira up early in the morning, and rode out.

She had tried to stay on the trail, but it was confusing. There were several forks with no signs, and before long, she found herself walking in circles, trying to figure out where they had come from.

“Should have gotten someone to go with me, huh girl?” Tina said softly, giving Cira a rub. Cira sniffed the air curiously, ears perked and listening.

“I just wanted some time alone with you, you know? It’s been a little bit jarring, these past two days, with all the new information. And lessons start the day after tomorrow.”

Tina sighed. Cira seemed to be staring at something intently in the distance. She let out a whinney, prancing in place.

A nicker broke through the silence. “Someone there, Duke?” Came a voice. Tina froze.

A horse trotted through the greenery, Newt on its back.

Newt and Tina stared at each other for a moment, both clearly not expecting anyone on the trails. Cira nickered, stretching her head forward to say hello to the new horse.

“Miss Goldstein.” Newt said, after a long pause. She gave him a weak smile.

“Hello, Newt.”

“Are you… lost?”

Tina laughed nervously, but nodded. 

“I’m sorry. If you could just point me in the right direction-“

“I’ll come back with you.”

“No, it’s fine. I don’t mean to interrupt-“

Newt shrugged. “We were heading back anyway. I don’t mind.”

Tina blushed again, but followed his horse.

They rode for a while in silence, Cira walking beside Newt’s horse. Tina took the chance to take a look. The horse was much smaller than Bucky. His coat was a handsome chestnut color, a white stripe running down his face. Unlike Bucky, Newt was riding him western.

“That isn’t Bucky, is it?” Tina said hesitantly. Newt glanced at her and smiled softly, reaching forward to stroke the horse’s neck.

“No, this is Duke. He isn’t one of the horses I’m training.”

Tina smiled. “I guess you didn’t feel like taking Bucky out on a trail ride?”

Newt shook his head. “Bucky’s a very good horse. He’s honest and eager to learn. He isn’t usually like the way you saw him that day you came.”

“It’s a little odd for Bucky to bolt at a snake. I mean, yeah, horses would bolt at the sight of a snake, but they would stop when they realized the snake wasn’t following…”

Newt nodded, casting her an admiring look. “Bucky is a rescue horse. I believe he was never taught how to properly deal with fear when he was first trained. His reaction is run first, think later.”

Tina had to pull Cira’s head away when she tried to munch on a leaf. “Bucky was a rescue horse?”

Newt nodded. “It’s what I do for a living. I buy rescue horses, work with them, and then sell them to a good home.”

“And what about Duke?”

“I’ve had Duke for six years now. He used to be a rescue horse, and my original plan was to sell him to a good home, but we clicked so well I decided to keep him.”

They rode in silence for a little while longer. Cira kept trying to sniff Duke, and Tina kept having to gently pull her head away.

“You should introduce me properly to Bucky. I didn’t get the best first impression of him,” Tina joked weakly, trying to break the silence. Newt glanced at her, a funny look on his face.

“You mean that?”

By this time, they had reached the stables, which was already starting to buzz with life. Stable hands were hard at work, mucking out stalls and pouring feed into buckets. Tina dismounted and rolled up her stirrups, shooting Newt a small smile.

“Yeah. Thanks for showing me the way back.”

Newt smiled shyly, dismounting as well and slipping the reins over Duke’s head to lead him away.

 

Tina was only on her second lesson, and it was not going well.

Cira was walking around the ring, a six-year-old girl with red braids perched on her back. April had walked into the barn for her lesson, announcing that she liked her previous horse better than Cira. If Cira didn’t pick up the trot immediately, April would flick the reins at her and kick violently.

“Okay, April. Whenever you’re ready, please pick the trot back up. We’re going to be doing serpentine loops,” Tina called out. April nodded, giving Cira a squeeze. Cira started to respond, but it wasn’t fast enough. April growled in frustration, and gave Cira a great big kick.

Cira halted, planting her feet firmly. April kept kicking Cira, but she didn’t respond, staying right where she was and not moving a muscle. 

“Tiiiiiiiiiinnnnnnnaaaaaaaaaa! She won’t move! Make her move!” April whined, kicking Cira harder. Tina crossed her arms, fighting back an amused grin.

“She’s not gonna move unless you stop kicking her,” Tina shouted back. April didn’t seem to be listening, because she kept kicking, her face turning as red as her braids.

Tina pretended to look down at her watch. “April, I don’t have time for this. You have ten seconds to get her to move or you get off.”

“Noooooooooo! Tina, make her move!” April yowled. Cira stayed right where she was, seeming almost bored with the whole thing.

“Ten… Nine… Eight… Seven… Six…”

April started to cry, throwing her reins and kicking desperately.

“TIIIIIIIIINNNNAAAAAAA!”

“Four… Three… Two…”

She burst into tears, stopped her kicking, and sagged into the saddle. Cira started walking as if nothing had happened, plodding along merrily. Tina heard a laugh, and she turned to see Newt with his hand over his mouth, trying to stifle his laughter. Tina let out a chuckle.

At the end of the lesson, April hastily groomed Cira, an angry scowl on her face the whole time. She stomped off as soon as possible, leaving Tina to give Cira a bath before her break.

“Need me to hold her?”

Tina turned to see Newt jogging towards them. Cira nickered happily, sticking her head forward and wiggling her lip, just like she always did.

“Hey, Newt! Yeah, if you wouldn’t mind holding her for a bit, that would be great!”

Newt rubbed and cuddled Cira the entire time Tina washed her, and Cira seemed to revel in the amount of attention she was getting, nibbling on Newt’s fingers and pockets affectionately.

“She really likes you,” Tina remarked with a grin. Newt blushed.

Tina quickly sweatscraped her, and took her from Newt to lead Cira back to her stall. But Newt followed, hands clasped behind his back nervously.

“Is there something you need?” Tina asked hesitantly, after she had turned Cira into her stall. Newt ducked his head nervously.

“I wanted to properly introduce you to Bucky.”


	5. Bucky and Leta

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Newt introduces Tina to Bucky properly and Tina gets to know Leta better.

Newt led her through the stables, hands clasped behind his back, to a quiet corner of the stables, where most of the stall were empty except for two. Bucky stuck his head out of his stall and nickered.

“Bucky, you remember Tina?” Newt asked, a hint of amusement in his tone. Bucky stuck his head out to Tina curiously, sniffing her hand.

“Maybe not. But I remember you,” Tina teased, poking his nose. 

Bucky was just as massive as she remembered, but he seemed surprisingly sweet and loving, almost like a massive puppy.

“How long have you been working with him?” Tina asked. Newt smiled to himself, rubbing the back of his neck and clearly trying not to sound too proud of himself.

“I’ve been working with him for four months. He’s been making a lot of progress since I got him.”

Another horse stuck their head out from the stall next to Bucky curiously. Tina gestured to the new horse.

“And who’s that?”

“That’s Fantasy. I’ve been working with her for about the same amount of time I’ve been working with Bucky. She’s a lovely western horse..”

Fantasy had a large scar running from beneath her eye to her nose. Her coat was a soft white with golden splashes across her neck, barrel, and hindquarters. She shied away when Tina took a step closer.

“Sorry. She’s a bit sensitive to strangers,” Newt said quickly, stepping around Tina and holding out his hand to Fantasy.

“She won’t hurt you girl,” he whispered soothingly. Fantasy snorted, but came a little closer, stretching out her neck to sniff.

Newt slowly wrapped his hand around Tina’s wrist and put it over the stall door.

“She’s trying to get a good sniff of you,” Newt whispered softly. Tina nodded in understanding.

Fantasy sniffed her hand, then backed away again. Newt let out a sigh of relief.

“Good girl, Fantasy,” he praised, releasing Tina’s wrist. 

“She’s pretty,” Tina remarked, and Newt chuckled at this.

“She is a beauty, isn’t she?”

There were a few moments of comfortable silence, broken only by the occasional snort of a horse. Tina cleared her throat, stepping back a little to face Newt.

“You know, I should probably go grab lunch. But I hope you’ll keep me posted on how Bucky and Fantasy are doing?”

Newt looked at her, a funny look on his face; the same look he had given her when she asked to be introduced properly to Bucky.

“Um, yeah. Definitely.” He cracked a grin, rubbing the back of his neck again.

She gave him one last smile before walking off to the longe, heart pounding in her chest.   
  


 

Today’s lunch were sandwiches carefully wrapped in plastic and placed in the fridge. Some of the other riding instructors and stable hands had already arrived and begun eating their sandwiches, chatting and watching television. Tina was the last to get to the fridge and pull out her sandwich.

No one approached her when she sat down at a small table in the corner to eat. She sat alone for a bit, chewing her sandwich and flipping through her phone.

“How was your first day of work?”

Tina glanced up to see Leta. She was smiling warmly, hands clasped in front of her. 

“Leta, right?”

“Yes. Mind if I sit with you?”

Tina placed her phone in her pocket and gestured for Leta to sit down. 

“So, I trust you had an agreeable first two lessons?” Leta asked as she sat. Tina rolled her eyes, and Leta giggled.

“That bad?”

“I forgot how much I hate bratty children-“ Tina huffed. “And how numerous they can be.”

They giggled. Leta let out a sigh.

“I’m sorry to hear. I promise not all children here are like that,” Leta said softly. Tina grinned.

“I know. All the barns I’ve ever worked at have both brats and good kids.”

Leta chuckled. There were a few moments of silence, with Tina trying to think of what to say.

“So, what brings you to Southern Orchard Riding Academy?” Leta asked cheerfully. Tina shrugged.

“My sister and I wanted to move barns. And I really liked what I heard about this stables.”

“Forgive me if this is a bit too personal to ask, but why did you want to move barns?”

Tina gulped nervously, averting her eyes away from Leta’s.

“Well, I wanted to move barns. Queenie wanted to come with me. I was trying to move out, get a life of my own.”

Leta nodded in understanding. “How is that working for you?”

Tina shrugged. “I mean, I’m living in this horrible apartment and I don’t have enough money right now to get a better one. But it could be worse.”

Leta chewed her lip, seeming almost lost in thought. Her face lit up, and she looked at Tina again.

“You know, you don’t have to take this offer. But Theseus and I have a spare bedroom we haven’t used in… well, forever, really. It’s free, so it would allow you more of an opportunity to get back on your feet and buy a new apartment.”

Tina quickly shook her head. “No, no. I couldn’t impose on you like that. Really, it’s not that bad. I’ll be alright.”

Leta smiled softly. “Of course. Still, the offer is open. It wouldn’t be the first time we’ve helped someone out like that. If you decide to change your mind-“ Leta reached into her pocket and pulled out a card, handing it to Tina. “-just give me a call, okay?”

Tina nodded, tucking the card into her pocket. Leta gave her one last smile before standing up.

“It was lovely getting to know-“

“Leta?! You do know this place is for people who actually ride, right?”

A muscular woman had just entered, arms crossed across her chest, a smirk playing across her lips. Leta’s cheeks turned red.

“I’m sorry, Caroline. I didn’t mean to-“

“Don’t apologize. Just get out.”

Leta nodded timidly, ducking her head and walking out quietly.

“That was mean, Caroline,” a teenager piped. Caroline shrugged.

“It was a joke. It’s not my fault she can’t take a joke.”

Tina frowned. “She wasn’t doing anything wrong. Why did you kick her out?”

Caroline frowned at Tina, walking up so that she was standing over her.

“Look, you’re new. But I think you noticed that Leta’s afraid of horses, correct?”

Tina didn’t answer, returning to her sandwich. Caroline sighed.

“The point is, the only reason she’s here is because she’s married to Theseus. If she had her way, she wouldn’t want to have anything to do with horses. And I can’t stand people like that.”

Caroline headed to the fridge, pulled out a soda, and left, not bothering to talk to anyone else.   
  
  
  


Throughout the rest of the day, Tina couldn’t shake Caroline’s words from her head.

Leta had been nothing but welcoming since Tina’s arrival. Certainly, Tina had noticed her unease around horses, but Leta had shown any signs of wanting to do away with horses.

If she didn’t want anything to do with horses, why would she marry Theseus in the first place? Why is she still staying?

Tina scolded herself internally. It would make no sense to make assumptions based off a woman she hardly knew because of what one person said.

 


	6. Riding Bucky

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tina is offered the chance to ride Bucky.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this took so long! I promise I’ll try to do better at it. Anyway, please enjoy and leave comments! I love feedback, and I had no idea how many equestrians were in the FB fandom until now, which is really cool!

“Teenie, are you sure you don’t want to eat lunch in the longe? I really don’t mind.”

Tina shrugged, shoving her chopsticks back into the Chinese takeout box. “I like watching you ride, and quite frankly, I don’t really like some of the people there. So don’t worry about it.”

Queenie frowned, trotting Dixie up to the fence. 

“You know, you should really try to make some friends.”

“I know.”

Queenie gave her a long look that Tina had seen far too many times by now. Tina had always been a bit of a loner. Not that people didn’t like her, necessarily. Just that they always ignored her. Tina averted her eyes.

“Whatever. Just head out to the rail and try the red line again.”

Queenie opened her mouth to protest, but quickly shut it, turning Dixie and urging her on. She picked up a quiet canter.

“Tina!”

Tina turned her head towards the voice. Newt was jogging up to the fence. She smiled and waved.

“Hey, Newt! How are things?”

Newt gave a shy grin when he arrived, resting his arms on the fence next to her. They were freckled, she noticed, and his hands were rough. 

“Things are going well. Fantasy is almost to the point where I can sell her, and Bucky’s just about ready for another shot at a trail ride, I think.”

Tina laughed. “I hope there won’t be a repeat of the last time you attempted that.” Newt gave her a crooked grin, blushing, but not looking away.

“Actually, I wanted to ask you something.”

Tina turned to face him, raising her eyebrow.

“Would you be willing to ride Bucky this afternoon? I’ll be there of course. I was just… wondering. Thought it’d be good for him.”

She considered briefly. She hadn’t really ridden any other horse other than Cira for a while now. It would probably be best to give another horse a ride, just to be sure her riding stayed on point. She nodded. “If you’re there, I’ll give it a shot.”

He was grinning from ear to ear now. His arms lifted a little, as if he were thinking about hugging her, but he quickly dropped them back to his sides, and held out a hand to shake instead.

“I’ll see you then?”

She chuckled and shook his hand.

“Wouldn’t miss it.”

Newt nodded, smiling to himself, and turned to leave. She could hardly hide an excited smile herself.

“He’s a cutie!”

Tina jumped, turning bright red. Queenie and Dixie were standing by the fence, a cheeky grin on Queenie’s face. Tina rolled her eyes.

“He’s a friend.”

“He’s adorable!”

Tina sighed in defeat, and Queenie giggled.

“Don’t mind me, hon, just happy that you’re making friends,” she said gently. “I know it’s hard for you.”

Tina merely shrugged. “I think it’s difficult for him too. And we just sort of hit it off, truthfully. I wasn’t trying to make friends with anyone.”

“But aren’t those times when you meets your best friends? We always seem to find the things we want when we aren’t looking.”

“And while you weren’t looking, Dixie started to graze, and now you’ll have to clean her bit.”

Queenie giggled, gently pulling Dixie’s head up. She started to head out, but turned in the saddle and pointed at Tina.

“We’re not done talking about this!” 

 

 

Bucky was quite a bit taller than Cira. As a matter of fact, he was massive, a fact that only became more prominent when she was on his back.

“Much taller than you’re used to, I gather?”

Tina laughed nervously. “You could say that.” Newt gave her a reassuring grin before glancing at Tina’s stirrups.

“Would you prefer them to be a little shorter?”

Tina nodded, leaning down to adjust them, but Newt beat her to it.

“I can get it.” He pushed her leg forward and pulled the stirrup leather down. Heat rushed to her cheeks, and she was thankful that Newt wasn’t looking.

“Now, what you need to remember with him is that he is overly eager. Since he doesn’t know you, he’ll try to trot several times because he wants to please you. When he does, all you have to do is tell him to walk, and he’ll come right back to you. He’s not going anywhere with you.”

“The first day I met him begs to differ,” she laughed. Newt blushed, but she could see he was smiling at her.

“Go ahead and take him out to the rail at a walk. Get used to him.” Tina nodded, gently squeezing Bucky’s sides. Bucky jolted forward eagerly, and Tina had to bring him back to a walk.

Bucky was eager to begin. He pranced instead of walked and leapt into the trot whenever Tina gave him a cue. When he trotted, he did so with his head high in the air and his back arched and stiff, something that she was certain was not healthy for his spine. Newt seemed to notice the nervousness on her face.

“It’s just because you’re new to him,” Newt said after Tina gently slowed him to a walk again. “It’ll get better the more he knows you. But you’re doing great!”

Tina shot him a smile before circling Bucky again.

It took Bucky a while before he finally calmed down a bit. He was still walking at a rather quick pace, nose high in the air, but he wasn’t trotting randomly anymore. Newt seemed extremely happy with this.

“Don’t worry too much. Took me forever to get him to put his head down and relax. As time goes on, he’ll keep getting better, I promise.”

He ducked his head shyly.

“Assuming you’d keep riding him, that is.”

It took Tina a moment to understand that it was a question. She gulped before answering.

“I might not be able to work with him as much as you do, but I would love to try.”

His face lit up. 

“I see you two have become very close!”

Newt ducked his head, giving Theseus a playful shove. Theseus laughed out loud and slapped Newt gently on the back of his head. 

“I need a favor.”

Newt raised his eyebrows. 

“Can you work with Ray tomorrow? I would do it myself, but it’s me and Leta’s-“

“Leta and me, Theseus!” Newt exclaimed as Tina dismounted. Theseus paid no mind.

“-it’s our one year anniversary. I’m taking her out to dinner.”

“I assume this means I’ll need to do the barn by myself as well.”

“I’m sorry-“

Newt shrugged. “I enjoy the barn anyway. I don’t mind staying up a little later. Just bring me back some cheesecake or something. Then we’ll be even.”

Theseus grinned. “It’s a deal. Hope Newt didn’t terrify you too horribly with Bucky there, Miss Goldstein!”

Tina shook her head with a smile. “I’ve had worse, honestly.” Theseus sniggered, raising his eyebrows at Newt in question before leaving the ring and heading towards the barn.

“You have to do the barn by yourself tomorrow?” Tina asked. Newt shrugged. “It doesn’t take me that long. Besides, my brother lets me stay at his house. I owe him a lot.”

“Why do you live with your brother?”

Newt frowned, and Tina quickly realized what she had just asked.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to-“

“No, it’s fine. I don’t really know why I haven’t moved out. Just waiting for the right time, I guess.”

His tone was soft, uncertain. For now, that was the most he would talk about it.


End file.
